For many years, Nan Ying International Folklore Festival has been widely acclaimed. This year, under the influence of the pandemic crisis, Tainan City Government decided to launch an All-Formosan rendition of the Festival by inviting outstanding Taiwanese troupes with the purpose of promoting local culture. On October 1st, the opening ceremony took place with performances from Taiwan Bangzi Opera Company and Diabolo Dance Theatre. With the power of art, the city government hopes the performances can bring a new atmosphere and help people walk out of the shadows of the pandemic. The spectacular performances fascinated nearly 10,000 audiences.
"Nan Ying International Folklore Festival is an established brand of outdoor art performances, which has been organized for many years in Tainan”, added Mayor Huang Wei-che. "The event first started under the leadership of County Magistrate Chen Tan-sun, and was passed down to County Magistrate Su Huan-chih and Mayor Lai Ching-te. Till now, the event has accumulated considerable artistic energy and formed a solid foundation for local performing arts in Tainan, thus receiving recognition from all sides.”
Affect by the pandemic crisis, the 2020 Nan Ying International Folklore Festival could not invite international art troupes as in previous years. However, the new curation of an all-Formosan lineup, for the very first time, also became a highlight of the event. As a result, this year visitors have access to more of Taiwan's intangible cultural assets, including traditional art, art troupes, indigenous art, acrobatics, etc. Tainan citizens and people from all around the country are all invited to witness this feast of art featuring local culture and celebrate this year's brand-new, all-Formosan Nan Ying Folklore Festival.